"Yue Liang greets the Nine-Tailed Beast Lord, may the Beast Lord's majesty endure forever!"
Yue Liang bowed respectfully, her dark, bright eyes gazing at the figure seated above—the alluring and breathtaking Nine-Tailed Great Beast.
"Tsk, following your master really polished your tongue, didn't it?" The Nine-Tailed's violet eyes shimmered like waves, easy to drown in with just one careless glance. Yet Yue Liang's gaze stayed clear as she studied her carefully.
"I've long heard from Zūnshàng that the Nine-Tailed Beast Lord is the king of the beast race, unmatched in strength and unrivaled in beauty. You're the role model for all us beast cultivators. To meet you today is Yue Liang's greatest honor."
Her sweet flattery made the Nine-Tailed laugh with narrowed eyes. Only Jian Lu could raise such a spirit pet.
The Nine-Tailed didn't even need to look closely to notice the collar around Yue Liang's neck, the armband on her arm, and the purple jade sword pendant at her throat. None of them were ordinary. Add to that her seventh-rank cultivation, and it was clear Jian Lu had spared no expense.
"Alright, enough. Your mouth's dripping honey. Sit down and speak." The Nine-Tailed, in good spirits, waved for the two of them to sit.
"Yue Liang came to escort her clansmen back to the beast race, but also to thank the Beast Lord for everything you've done for the Raccoon Beast Clan." Yue Liang bowed again with solemn respect.
"Ah, back when the Raccoon Beast Clan suffered misfortune, it was during the fiercest struggle for my position as Beast Lord. Everyone was caught up, and that bastard Hai Yan kept striking again and again. By the time we realized it, it was already too late." The Nine-Tailed rarely mentioned that period. It spoke volumes about how brutal the fight had been.
"Fortunately, the beast gods were watching over you. The Raccoon Beast Clan's patriarch at the time sensed something was wrong and sent out a branch through a friend. That must've been your line. Thanks to that, your clan wasn't completely wiped out."
Ancestor Xing Chen and Yue Liang both felt a wave of heaviness at her words. The matter was long past, and besides, with the Nine-Tailed's help, Yue Liang and Jian Lu had already slain Hai Yan together. Vengeance for their clansmen had been taken.
"We still need to thank the Beast Lord for personally striking down Hai Yan. You helped us avenge our clan and preserved our ancestral lands, allowing us to return home safely. Yue Liang will never forget this kindness."
"Enough, too much thanks only creates distance." The Nine-Tailed waved her hand, ending the subject.
Yue Liang wagged her tail, smiling brightly. Just then, she received a message through her contract seal from Jian Dan. "Zūnshàng just sent me word. Bai Jue has successfully advanced to the eighth rank and is consolidating his cultivation at Tianyue Peak."
The Nine-Tailed's purple fox eyes lit up, a smile tugging at her lips. That fellow Bai Jue finally advanced. Her days of suffering might finally end.
"Mhm, that's good news. When will he return?"
"Reporting to the Beast Lord, Zūnshàng said the Heavenly Demon Palace will soon hold the succession ceremony. He wants me to travel with the beast race's delegation, while Bai Jue Zūnshàng will accompany my Heavenly Sword Sect's team. We'll meet at the Heavenly Demon Palace. Does the Beast Lord find this arrangement acceptable?"
Yue Liang respectfully conveyed her master's intentions.
So it was already planned, just waiting for her nod. The Nine-Tailed sighed helplessly.
"That Bai Jue kid sure has good luck, slipping away to enjoy a month of peace. Not a single beast stepping up to share my burdens."
"If the Beast Lord doesn't mind, Yue Liang is willing to help share them. As long as it's nothing confidential, Yue Liang and Ancestor Xing Chen can handle it."
She spoke with a cheerful smile.
The Nine-Tailed laughed and waved her hand. "No need. The Heavenly Demon Palace's invitation hasn't even reached the beast race yet. Once it does, we'll go with Jian Lu's plan. Besides, this gives you time to stay with your clan and help your Ancestor. I wouldn't want to steal you away."
"Yes, thank you for your care, Beast Lord."
The Nine-Tailed chatted a bit more and was surprised to learn that Jian Dan had already reached late Unity stage. That speed was shocking. Still, the Nine-Tailed was intrigued by the "Dreamlike Illusory Rubik's Cube Realm" Yue Liang mentioned. She decided to visit once Bai Jue returned and relieved her of her duties.
Before leaving, Yue Liang offered a storage ring filled with spirit wine as tribute to the Beast Lord.
The Nine-Tailed swept it with her divine sense and immediately knew it was prepared by Jian Lu. She accepted it happily. After all, his gifts always hit the mark.
Not long after Yue Liang and Ancestor Xing Chen left, the Nine-Tailed received Bai Jue's message via a white-feathered letter. He reported his current situation and confirmed the plan to travel with the Heavenly Sword Sect, exactly as Yue Liang had said.
The Nine-Tailed didn't waste words. With a wave, she sent back a single character: "Approved." Everything else she jotted in her little notebook, waiting to squeeze Bai Jue properly once he returned.
Tianyue Peak, Heavenly Sword Sect, Guest Hall
Bai Jue suddenly felt a chill down his back, as if a cold wind blew past. Right after, he received the Nine-Tailed Beast Lord's reply—a single bold "Approved," in her usual style. He shook his head, chuckling helplessly, then drank a mouthful of top-grade spiritual spring water. Settling down, he began consolidating his realm, repairing hidden injuries, and making his aura more solid. He cultivated nonstop for twenty days.
Meanwhile, Jian Dan, after informing Yue Liang, also started her own preparations. She felt this trip might keep her away for quite a while. So first, she carefully explained the key points of Foundation Establishment to Xue Ru.
Xue Ru knew her master wouldn't be around when she attempted Foundation Establishment, so she listened especially carefully, taking notes and asking questions whenever she didn't understand.
Jian Dan patiently answered everything until she was sure Xue Ru had fully grasped it.
"Xue Ru, what I've told you is what past cultivators summarized. The real details, you'll only understand when you personally experience Foundation Establishment."
"Disciple's noted it all. I'll definitely succeed."
After that, Jian Dan spent three more days recording the key points for Core Formation and Nascent Soul, along with spiritual energy circulation methods. She even crafted a 3D projection diagram with explanations, sealing it all inside a jade slip.
Her disciples could only unlock the seals once their cultivation advanced—late Foundation Establishment or late Core Formation—avoiding unnecessary mistakes.
Next, Jian Dan taught two more classes for the Tongzi Hall disciples. Some had already succeeded at Foundation Establishment, which made the rest envious.
"Alright, no need to envy Jia Jia and Jia Yushu. Soon, it'll be your turn. Just remember the key points I taught you, and you'll be fine."
"Yes, Zūnshàng!"
After sending the little ones off to cultivate, Jian Dan devoted her remaining time to nurturing the Rubik's Cube Realm, hoping to awaken the artifact spirit soon.
Each session, she poured half her chaos spiritual power into the Rubik's Cube Realm.
One day, after feeding it half her chaos power, she was about to cut off the connection when she realized it wasn't stopping. The Rubik's Cube Realm kept absorbing her chaos energy greedily.
Her eyes flickered with a flash of blue light, then calmed again. She kept running her cultivation art, drawing in ambient spiritual energy, refining it into chaos power, and feeding it to the Rubik's Cube Realm.
In that instant, the two reached a strange balance. The Yin-Yang Taiji disk spun rapidly, converting spiritual energy to feed the realm.
"I know you're awake already. That's enough!"
Jian Dan's voice echoed directly into the Rubik's Cube Realm.
Sure enough, the absorption paused for a breath. After another five breaths, the realm finally released its hold on her energy.
"Now that's better. If you keep leeching just me, I'll be drained dry."
She muttered under her breath, then sat upright on her cushion and called out in a clear voice,"Show yourself!"